2020-08-11 Planning & Environment Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                  11 AUGUST 2020




          Figure 11: Biodiversity Overlay                  Figure 12: Koala Habitat Area
    (Environmental Protection Area and Noosa
                   Watercourse)

The vegetation on the site is classified as Category C high value regrowth vegetation
representing Regional Ecosystem 12.9-10.4 which is described as Open forest to woodland with
Eucalyptus racemosa locally prominent on Cainozoic to Proterozoic sediments ± remnant
Tertiary surfaces; other species can include Angophora leiocarpa, Eucalyptus siderophloia,
Corymbia intermedia, Eucalyptus tindaliae with Lophostemon suaveolens, Melaleuca
quinquenervia and Eucalyptus tereticornis on lower slopes. The vegetation community is in good
condition with limited weed incursions, mainly as a result of minor edge effects. The relic
Scribbygums and Bloodwoods present good nesting values due to the presence of a variety of
sizes of hollows with the shrubby understory providing cover and forage values for ground
dwelling animals. The Regional Ecosystem is habitat for threatened species and this is reflected
in its Environmental Protection classification, including Glossy Black Cockatoos, koalas, wallum
rocketfrog and swamp crayfish.
The land drains directly to the National Park to the east south/east into a Palustrine wetland
characterised by Regional Ecosystems 12.2.7, 12.2.9 and 12.2.12, representing surface
expression and terrestrial ground water dependent ecosystems. The wetland being listed as a
Wetland of High Ecological Significance on the Map of Queensland Wetland Environmental
Values – a Matter of State Environmental Significance.
These ground water dependent ecosystems rely on presence of groundwater on a permanent or
intermittent basis to meet all or some of their water requirements so as to maintain their
communities of plants and animals, ecological processes and ecosystem services, be it at depth
or at the surface. The land to the east of the proposed development is national park and includes
wetlands and habitat for threatened species. Third party advice from Queensland Parks and
Wildlife Services (QPWS) requires that the habitat values of the receiving waters and
neighbouring lands are maintained and not impacted by the proposed development. If the
proposed use of stored rainwater to fill the lagoon/wave pool were not found to be sufficient,
QPWS does not support water extraction for topping up the lagoon/wave pool. Furthermore
QPWS advises “any impact to the surrounding protected area and values, from neighbouring
land use, is subject to consideration under the provisions of State and/or Federal legislation as
relevant, with potential for significant fines and/or rectification orders.”
The land form of the site is deeply weathered soils of silty sand overlaid on a clayey surface.
These soils are characteristically nutrient poor with the overlying vegetation and bacterial
associations contributing nutrients for growth. Permanent changes in nutrient status of the soil
properties can cause dieback upslope and contribute to declining ecological values in the

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